St. Ann's Cathedral, Gothic Revival cathedral in Great Falls, United States
St. Ann's Cathedral is a Gothic Revival church with a cruciform plan, Gothic arched windows and a turreted bell tower. It was designed by John H. Kent of Helena and built between 1906 and 1907 using stone quarried near Stockett. It is Great Falls' largest church.
On May 18, 1904, Pius X made St. Ann's the cathedral of the new Diocese of Great Falls. Bishop Mathias Clement Lenihan then commissioned a larger church, designed by Helena architect John H. Kent and built in 1906–1907 for about $100,000, with stone quarried near Stockett. The earlier brick church became a parochial school, and a 1953 renovation preceded the diocese's Golden Jubilee.
The parish's first church was a brick building paid for by three parishioners who signed a $3,000 note; it later became a parochial school. Since 1980 St. Ann's has shared the role of diocesan seat with St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral in Billings. The 1929 Reuter organ, Opus 328, keeps its 14 ranks after a 1995 refurbishment.
The building can be viewed from the exterior, with its architecture clearly visible from the street. Visitors should note that the interior may not always be open, so it's helpful to check local contact information in advance.
The cathedral's 1929 pipe organ was built by the Reuter Organ Co. of Lawrence, Kansas, as their Opus 328, with 14 ranks across two divided chambers and three manuals. Meadway & Stettner of Monroe, Washington, refurbished it in 1995, adding front expression shutters and revising the tonal design while keeping the 14 ranks.
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